Libya

•The international tribunal in The Hague, where Senussi is wanted on charges of crimes against humanity, said it had no information about the extradition. Amnesty International has called on Libya hand over Senussi for trial in The Hague.

Send Senussi to the ICC, says Amnesty

Amnesty International is calling for Abdullah al-Senussi to be handed over to the International Criminal Court. In a statement posted on the organisation's website, campaign manager Marek Marczyński said:

Instead of extraditing Abdullah al-Senussi back to Libya, where he faces an unfair trial and the death penalty for ordinary crimes under national law, Mauritania should have given precedence to the ICC’s surrender request – he should face the charges of crimes against humanity against him in fair proceedings.

... the decision to send him to Libya – with its weak justice system and inadequate fair-trial guarantees – will inevitably delay justice for victims and could lead to violations of al-Senussi's rights to a fair trial.

The ICC arrest warrant for al-Senussi remains in force and Libya has an obligation to surrender him without delay to The Hague.

4.41pm BST

Syria condemns NileSat decision

The Syrian information ministry has condemned NileSat's decision to stop carrying Syrian satellite channels (see earlier post). It says this is in breach of its contract and also serves "the Zionist scheme".

NileSat stopped broadcasting the Syrian satellite channels in a unilateral procedure unjustifiably violating terms of the contract signed with the company and the media code of ethics, [the] ministry of information said on Wednesday.

This procedure contradicts principles of media work in an unacceptable and blatant way within the framework of the campaign targeting Syria, the statement added.

The ministry stressed its condemnation of this violation and considered it as direct evidence on its administrators' bias to the side of the plot launched against the Syrian state and people, adding that this behaviour serves the Zionist scheme.

Video of Senussi's arrival

"The blood of the martyrs will not go in vain," someone chants in the clip.

Updated at 3.58pm BST

3.38pm BST

Interview with a fighter near Latakia

Our colleague Mona Mahmood has been speaking on the phone to Lieut Col Abu Ahmed of the rebel Ahrar al-Sahel brigade which is fighting in the Latakia area. This is what he told her.

We have two military [observation] towers for the Syrian army in Latakia countryside which are used as bases to attack and shell people living in villages nearby.

There were six tanks at al-Qassab tower and another six at al-Barouda tower. These 16 tanks claimed the lives of many civilians and wounded many of them, in addition to the great damage they caused to the houses. They were based on high hills and overlook wide areas.

We as the revolutionary military command in Latakia decided to launch an operation against these towers to curb their damage. We did the required intelligence and reconnaissance secretly before the operation and chose the brigades to carry out the operation last Monday at four in the morning and with more than 650 fighters.

We were able to get control of al-Qassab tower completely and destroy five of the tanks inside, except for a tank and rocket launcher which are under a siege by our fighters. We were engaged in clashes with the Syrian army in control of al-Barouda tower and were able to push them backward.

As a result of the attack, we lost 28 martyrs and 40 wounded while the Syrian army lost 70 soldiers and 120 wounded. We were able to capture 11 members of the Syrian army and took them as hostages.

We work in the countryside of Latakia which is liberated of the Syrian army now – al-Akrad mountain and 90% of Turkman mountain is liberated. The liberation war is still going on from the countryside to reach the heart of [Latakia city].

It is difficult now to get work inside the city, it is cut off by many checkpoints and full of Syrian army and shabiha.

All the villages we are in control of now are Sunni. So far, the position of the Alawites in Latakia is ambiguous. We want a clear stance from them. We have sent them many messages telling them that we are not against them or targeting them but when their villages are used as a base for tanks to launch attacks against other part of Latakia, they become like witnesses to the killing of the Syrian people.

Personally I support that we join the Syrian National Army but we will hold a meeting for all the commanders of the revolutionary military command in Latakia to discuss [it] and will take a decision whether to join or not.

Libya confirms Senussi's arrival

Libyan government official have confirmed that Senussi is under detention in Tripoli after being extradited from Mauritania.

"The office of the prosecutor general has received Senussi and he will undergo a number of medical tests. Soon he will also undergo interrogation for the cases he has been charged with," prosecutor general spokesman Taha Ba'ra told Reuters.

An official told AP Senussi is being held with other former regime members, including a former prime minister. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters.

2.45pm BST

Senussi 'taken to national guard prison'

Libyan businessman Ahmed Addarrat says his cousin, who is a member of the national guard, was on board the helicopter that transported Senussi to a Libyan prison.

Senussi arrives in Libya

Gaddafi's former spy chief, Abdullah al-Senussi, has now arrived in Libya after being extradited from Mauritania.

2.18pm BST

Bahrain jail sentences 'not government's fault'

The government of Bahrain, which faced international opprobrium yesterday over the life sentences imposed on political activists, has today shrugged off blame – by citing independence of the judiciary.

A statement from the foreign ministry says:

The ministry reiterated its adherence to the principle of respecting an independent judiciary and the sentences issued by it, as well as taking into consideration the preservation of a fair trial for defendants and in accordance with criminal law procedures. Further, it was noted that all who have been convicted can appeal their verdicts.

The statement reaffirmed that Bahrain is proud of its fair and independent judiciary as is specified in the constitution, as well as its judicial practices that are in accordance with the kingdom's commitments stemming from international agreements to which it is a signatory party.

The ministry also stated that Bahrain believes in and respects the principles related to the sovereignty of the law and the separation between authorities, in addition to non-intervention in the sentences passed down by the independent judiciary.

1.58pm BST

$21m more US aid for refugees

The head of the US Agency for International Development says Washington is providing an additional $21m to help Syrian refugees, raising its overall contribution to $100m.

Rajiv Shah says the money will be funneled through the UN World Food Programme to hundreds of thousands of Syrians displaced inside their country, to others in desperate humanitarian need and to refugees who fled to Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and Iraq.

Shah says $14.3m of the new funds will provide food assistance to conflict-affected people inside Syria and $6.7m to support Syrians refugees in neighboring states, AP reports.

Shah was speaking today during a tour of Jordan's Zaatari camp, which hosts 27,000 Syrian refugees. There are some 160,000 additional Syrians living in Jordan but not in the camps.

1.53pm BST

Syrian channels 'dropped from NileSat'

BBC Middle East producer Cara Swift tweets that the Egyptian satellite company NileSat is ending transmission of Syrian broadcasts. This appears to be a result of the Arab foreign ministers' meeting in Cairo today.

Libya

•The international tribunal in The Hague, where Senussi is wanted on charges of crimes against humanity, said it had no information about the extradition. Libya's prime minister is due to make a statement later today.

Interview with commander of Syrian National Army

Our colleague Mona Mahmood has spoken on the telephone to Major General Muhammed Hussein al-Haj Ali, commander of the newly-announced opposition Syrian National Army. Haj Ali was director of the National Defence College in Syria until he defected a month ago.

After thorough consultations with many defected Syrian military in Syria, Turkey and Jordan and strong demands by the Syrian people, we decided to form the Syrian National Army to gather all the active forces on the ground and achieve victory by toppling the regime and form the National Army to represent all the components of the Syrian people by their different sects and background.

We have to unify all these efforts within a military institution similar to other institutions in the world in its administration and organisation, and it should not have any political agenda – only to defend Syria. This institution will include anyone holding a weapon in Syria now.

The aims of the Syrian National Army are the toppling of the regime and keeping security in Syria after the fall of the regime and securing a suitable atmosphere to conduct free elections under intentional observation. The party that wins in the election will be in charge of running the state and the military will go back to its barracks and do its usual job. I have done thorough consultations with my colleagues in Syria, Turkey and Jordan – rebels, civilians and military men – and we decided to form the Syrian National Army.

The problem in Syria now is that we have so many factions and formations that are fighting under many names, some of them supported by personnel or groups and they act according to their generic, religious or sectarian affiliation. This is a matter which causes the fragmentation of the resistance and poses a great risk for Syria's future, especially after the toppling of the regime (which will fall definitely).

We have consulted the Free Syrian Army represented by its commander, Colonel Riad al-Asaad, about the formation of the Syrian National Army. They accepted but they put conditions that the name "Free Syrian Army" should stay as it is and work under a joint military command. But this is illogical and unfunctional. We do not want the army to be loose. There is no army in the world called a "free army" – the army should have discipline not be free to do anything.

So, till now the FSA did not join us but they do not represent all the brigades who are fighting on the ground and they are in control of a small area in Syria.

We call upon Colonel Riyadh al-Assad to join the Syrian National Army in order to get the support of the world as a military institution not a personal one.

The Syrian National Army now includes military councils inside Syria, Syrian officers abroad, a few brigades inside, defected officers and civilians. We do not have any agenda and we do not belong to any political party. We want to separate the military institution from any political organisations. It is not a personal project but a national one.

I defected ideologically from the regime a long time ago but was hoping for a political breakthrough or that the regime would accept a political solution – but this did not happen.

No patriotic Syrian man would accept what is happening in Syria now. We have made an oath to defend Syria and its people. We cannot watch all this killing and slaughtering of Syrian people and accept it. The situation in Syria now is horrible and scary.

The Syrian [government] army has turned into a gang that serves the regime which is represented in one man who is ruling the country now by military force, not by law.

Updated at 1.44pm BST

12.31pm BST

More on Senussi

An official in the ministry of foreign affairs, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter, said that al-Senoussi boarded a special flight at 9am local time (0900 GMT) and was headed to Tripoli.

Libya, the International Criminal Court as well as France had all asked to try the former intelligence chief, who is known as Gadhafi's "black box." He is accused of complicity in the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, as well as the Abu Salim prison massacre of more than 1,200 prisoners by Gadhafi's regime in 1996.

Senussi was arrested at Mauritania's international airport in March, where he showed up disguised as a Tuareg chieftain, wearing flowing robes and a turban. He was travelling on a fake passport. For months, Mauritania resisted calls to hand him over, insisting that their laws had been violated and that he should be tried on Mauritanian soil.

Oriane Maillet, a spokeswoman for the international tribunal in The Hague, said the court has received no information yet from Libyan authorities on the transfer of Senussi, but stressed that an international arrest warrant has been issued for him based on ICC charges.

12.22pm BST

Libyan PM to issue statement on Senussi

Libyan prime minister Abdulrahim el-Keib is reported to be due to make a statement on the extradition of Gaddafi's intelligence chief Abdullah Senussi.

Jet downed with machineguns

Reuters has more details of rebel claims about the downing of a jet in Idlib province. It says only one jet was hit. It does not mention activists claims that another aircraft was hit in Hama.

Opposition fighters in northern Idlib province said they shot down the aircraft on Tuesday with heavy machinegun fire as it was taking off from the Abu Thuhur air base.

"They brought it down as it was taking off from the airport using 14.5 millimetre anti-aircraft machineguns," said Abu Majad, a spokesman from the rebel Ahrar al-Sham (Free Men of Syria) brigade.

"The airport has been surrounded by the Ahrar al-Sham brigade and the Syrian Martyrs Brigade," but it was not clear if fighting was in progress, he said. "Due to communication difficulties I am not sure what the situation is at the moment."

This was the second fighter aircraft the rebels say they have shot down, the last one being in eastern Deir al-Zor province.

State news channels said the aircraft that came down in Deir al-Zor crashed because of technical problems. They have not yet reacted to the rebel claim to have shot down a jet in Idlib.

11.51am BST

Up to 43 people killed in Aleppo, activists claim

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Wednesday that civilians were killed in the southern neighbourhood of Bustan al-Qasr while a total of nine bodies, including those of the children, were found in the Marjeh and Hanano areas.

Up to 31 killed in Latakia province

The campaign group Avaaz claims that 27 rebel fighters were among 31 people killed in the shelling of Esterbeh and Doreen in Latakia province.

It quotes an activist named Ahmad, as saying: “The regime forces tried to storm into the villages of Doreen and Esterbeh, and clashes erupted between the FSA and regime forces, before the shelling started on a rate of eight bombs per minute, killing three children, a woman and 27 FSA fighters and injuring 45 FSA fighters, 16 of them are critical.”

Dr Abu Rahal from a local field hospital told the group that 15 people were injured in Doreen. He also said the field hospital suffered minor damage in the attack.

Footage from the hospital shows a man with injuries to his left arm and right foot.

Gaddafi's spy chief extradited

Mauritania has handed over Abdullah al-Senussi – Col Gaddafi's former intelligence chief – to the Libyan authorities, government media in Mauritania are reporting.

The Associated Press adds:

An official [in Mauritania] said Abdullah al-Senoussi is already on a plane headed to Libya.

The communique published on Wednesday states that he would be sent to Libya for trial. Both Libya and the International Criminal Court had asked to try him, but for months Mauritania had said that they should be allowed to try him themselves.

An official in the ministry of foreign affairs who requested anonymity because he's not authorised to speak to the press said a Libyan delegation was in Nouakchott for negotiations. He said Senoussi left Mauritania Wednesday on a Libya-bound flight.

Iraq 'awaits proof' of arms shipments

Iraq says it is waiting for the US to provide evidence that its airspace is again being used by Iran to ship weapons to Syria, AP reports.

An Iraqi spokesman acknowledged that Iran is ferrying supplies through Iraqi airspace but said Tehran has assured Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki that the flights contain food and other humanitarian aid for victims of Syria's civil war.

Spokesman Ali al-Moussawi said the US has promised to provide proof that the Iranian flights are shuttling arms a violation of a UN Security Council resolution.

Earlier this year, Washington pressured Iraq to stop any Iranian weapons shipments through its airspace.

10.56am BST

The 'Syrian National Army' begins to emerge

While the political opposition – the Syrian National Council – remains in disarray, there are signs that fighters on the ground are becoming more organised.

A series of tweets from The 47th, who is usually well informed, talk about efforts to combine the disparate rebel groups in a newly-formed "Syrian National Army" under the command of Maj Gen Mohammad Hussein Haj Ali.

The Syrian National Army now commands major FSA factions across all Syrian governorates, including, but not limited to

• Attawheed (the largest in Aleppo)• Ansar Al Sham (Damascus)• All of Deraa (all of Horan Valley)• Most of Latakia (inc Coastal Turkmen Brigade)

Over the next few days (expected on Thursday) the Syrian National Army will announced its new structure and what it encompasses (brigades and leadership).

Some groups remain outside the new structure – negotiations with the al-Farouq Brigade in Homs have apparently failed and talks with FSA factions in Idlib as said to be continuing but "a little tough".

What does seem clear, however, is that the rebel forces are gradually becoming stronger and more organised while the government forces are on a downhill path:

Assad forces' land supply lines are like walking on thin ice, almost every convoy is attacked. Tanks can't be moved, no air freight, etc. That's why you see more and more jets dropping barrels filled with screwdrivers, metal shrapnel, and TNT. Assad can no longer transport big bombs.

Troops from the 4th, 5th, 9th & 17th Division (estimated around 100k) can mostly not leave their bases. They can only shell towns from their news base, and the majority of these troops haven't taken a break from their tours since deployment.

In short, Assad army morale is at an all-time low, the latest loses (including jets and military bases) have increase defection, and they are slowly getting desperate. The lack of supplies (along with new arms) is exactly why FSA brigades can take over whole military bases like Abu Aduhoor, Taftanaz, etc.

US urges Syria to account for missing journalist

We’ve seen the reports that an American journalist, Austin Tice, is missing in Syria. We have, through our protecting power to the – the government of the Czech Republic, relayed our message to the Syrian government to try to get information on his welfare and whereabouts. We appreciate the efforts of the Czech mission on behalf of our citizens. We’ve seen news reports that Mr Tice is in Syrian custody. However, the Syrian government has yet to confirm these reports with our protecting power. So we urge the Syrian Government to respond to the Czech diplomatic note as soon as possible...

We’ve expressed our concern about the safety of journalists in Syria. We note that freedom of press from going back to joint special Annan’s original six points is one of the key aspects of that. So we strongly urge all sides to ensure the safety of journalists in Syria.

A picture taken in July 2012 shows freelance photographer Austin Tice in an undisclosed location in Syria. The American journalist has been missing in Syria for more than two weeks. Photograph: -/AFP/Getty Images

Details on the downing of a Syrian jet

He also highlights another video from activists showing Jamaal Maaruf, identified as the leader of Shuhada Jebel al-Zawiya battalion, explaining that his men have been been attacking Abu Dhuhur air base for six days.

The Iranian flights present searching questions for the United States. The Obama administration has been reluctant to provide arms to the Syrian rebels or establish a no-fly zone over Syria for fear of being drawn deeper into the Syrian conflict. But the aid provided by Iran underscores the reality that Iran has no such hesitancy in providing military supplies and advisers to keep Mr. Assad’s government in power.

Of these eight, only one, Yahya Mohammed Nassar, was a rebel fighter. Another, Ibrahim al-Hamdo, an activist, had taken part in protests but had never held a gun.

There were no obvious military targets in any of the areas bombarded at the start of this week. Al-Bab is paying a hard price for its defiance; fighters from there formed the largest contingent to take part in the defence of Aleppo and the residents had withstood regular attacks from a military base on the outskirts before chasing out the soldiers.